


White Tulips In The Sunlight

by TaireBlackfeather (robinisademon)



Series: Facets Of Grindeldore [2]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Grindeldore, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Movie 2: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 04:24:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16987995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinisademon/pseuds/TaireBlackfeather
Summary: The AU in which Grindelwalds crimes weren't that dramatic, so he only had to go to Nurmengard for 15 years, and then got out to be rehabilitated into the wizarding world.But it's a gigantic struggle if nobody trusts or believes in you. Enter the one man who does.A drama in four parts.-White tulips:Forgiveness and Beautiful eyes. Other symbolic meanings of white tulips are rebirth, sense of hope and renewal.





	1. PART ONE - I

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT NOTE:  
> This is an Canon Divergence AU  
> Important Diversions in this story are:  
> > Grindelwald does not escape from the ministry, like in the beginning of CoG  
> > Nurmengard isn't built by Gellert himself, but just an existing prison in Germany.  
> > Dumbledore teaches Transfiguration, like he should. (Divergence from the film, not from the books)

I  
It's not that the windows are small, it's just that they're very high up, meaning that the sunlight only reaches the floor in the, in his opinion, too short moments before and after the sun has reached it's highest point. At any other time of the day, and of course during the night, the cell is veiled in darkness. And that's not even the worst part, no, the worst parts are the smell of moss and fungi growing on the walls, and the moist feeling of any surface he can touch, but the sun can't.

And during winter, it's cold, too. Way too cold for the ratty, fraying old blanket to warm up a wizard who used to be able to cast warming spells for as long a he can remember. But he's been here for years, and he learned a long time ago that there's no point in attempting to complain. They keep him alive, more responsibility for him than that, they don't have, so they don't bother. He's not even mad. He stopped being mad years ago. Now, he's just tired. If the Daily Prophet could interview him now, they'd probably ask how he feels, being locked up in Nurmengard, all alone. 'Tired', he would answer. 'Tired, old, and every part of my body aches.'  
But the Prophet isn't here. Not yet, that is to say. They would surely swarm around the castle the moment he would be released, which was quite soon. So soon, actually, that they might already be outside. Whether they are able to hear the bittersweet melody that Gellert Grindelwald is currently whistling, is a question only they can answer, and since they are usually the ones to ask the questions, instead of answer them, the answer to this one probably won't ever be discovered.

He flinches at the cracking sound of someone apparating just outside of his cell. You can't blame him, he hasn't heard much sounds for the past 15 years he's spent in this prison cell. Maybe a rainstorm, or a crow calling from far away, but nothing right in front of his face.  
Which is where, now, a man stands in an official Ministry uniform, right behind the bars.  
"Goodday" the man greets, more out of habit than an actual wish for this prisoner to have a good day. When the man gets an empty stare, but no reply, he decides to continue himself. "Gellert Grindelwald, this day marks the end of your imprisonment. Today you will be taken out of this cell, and back into the Wizarding World. However, considering your past crimes, you still won't be allowed to use magic. You will be wearing an enchanted bracelet, which prohibits you from casting any spells. This is an official term of your parole, and if you don't agree with it, we're not allowed to let you out of this cell. Do you understand, and agree, to this term of parole?"  
A pale, bony arm is stretched out through the bars, and at the Ministry employee, waiting for the bracelet to be put in place.  
The employee, however, shifts on his feet a bit awkwardly, and can't help to recoil a bit from the outstretched hand. "Ahem, I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid we're going to need a verbal confirmation for legal reasons." he supplies, feeling a bit like he's the unfortunate child who's be chosen by the English teacher to read the biggest monologue in the Shakespeare play.  
"Yes, I understand, and agree to, the terms of my parole." says a gravely voice, sounding like it hasn't been used in years, which is quite possibly the case.  
"Ah, erm, alright." The Ministry worker fumbles with his bag, then pulls out a metallicly shining, flat, quite broad, bracelet with an intricate pattern carved in it. He then slides the bracelet onto the still stretched out arm, taking great care not to make any skin contact. Once the bracelet is on Grindelwald's arm, it shrinks to a prefect fit, making it impossible to slide off, and the pattern starts glowing a soft yellow, only visible because of the darkness of the cell.  
"One last note," the ministry man says. "The length of time for your parole has not been set yet. It is entirely dependent on your behaviour once back in the Wizarding World. The restrictions on your magical ability, too, are dependent on your behaviour. Behave well, and the restriction may be loosened, allowing you to cast simple, harmless spells. Any funny buisness, and we're back here, I'm afraid."  
Again, no answer.  
"Right," says the Ministry employee, sounding quite relieved the worst part of his job is over and done with, "You may now follow me outside. That is..." He hesitates. "...can You stand, sir?"  
An undignified huff, and a fair amount of struggling later, and Grindelwald is on his feet.  
"It isn't a long walk" chatters the employee, who's excited to smell fresh air again soon, "We just have to leave this cell, see, as we can't apparate in there." The employee shifts to the right, and a second person appears, also in ministry clothing, with an old-fashioned key. The lock screeches and complains, but the bars swing open after a bit of a struggle. Grindelwald sets foot outside his cell. Fifteen years have passed, things have changed, emotions have changed, and he's so, so, ready to finally be able to live again.


	2. PART ONE - I  (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He made it to the other side of the square, thinking he didn't get recognized, but luck wasn't really on his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the sloooooooow updates, but life isn't quite kind to me at the moment. Please bear with me x

Apparating should've been like riding a bike, but the fast swirl of his body being pulled from one place to another leaves him with a headache none the less.  
The Ministry employee had left Grindelwald to the care of a third ministry worker, who had grabbed his arm and apparated the two of them to this new location.  
This location turned out to be a house. Not a particularly nice one, but functional enough to stay at for a while. Livingroom, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and a small storage space, everything in working order. Wards were cast around the house, by the ministry, for protection. "This will be your personal temporary accommodation," the ministry woman explains, "where you can stay until you've found a job and can pay for your own apartment. All of your previous property has been taken in by the ministry. If things go according to plan, you will be able to retrieve some of it over time, but for now this is all we're offering. For any urgent questions or grave problems, send an owl to the ministry."  
She didn't seem to realise he didn't have an owl, with no money, and all of his property gone, but Gellert decided not to point that out.  
The woman waits for a beat, and upon getting no answer, she apparates out of the house, leaving Gellert behind, alone once more.

-

The first thing he decides to do, is check out the house. He hobbles around, legs still foreign to being used again. The running hot water feels like a heavenly blessing, and Grindelwald spends the first full hour in his house just standing underneath the hot shower. When all the rubbish and foul smells have gone, and the cold has finally been chased off, he finally, begrudgingly, leaves the shower, to realise he didn't bring any clean clothes along. He searches for a wand, to cast an Accio, then realises his mistake. Well then.

The next thing he does, is make some tea, which he then greedily gulps down, burning his tongue in the process. Not that he cares, it's been way too long since he's had a hot drink. Now warm and satisfied, he waddles over to the bedroom, happy to find a reasonably sized bed already made.

-

It is only the following day that Grindelwald goes outside, which surprises even himself. He's been trapped inside for years, and it'd be logical if he took advantage of the freedom as soon as possible. But he decides to take babysteps, and so he sleeps till late in the afternoon, before he feels like his legs are up to a walk.  
Outside it's freezing, but after months of cold winter underneath a thin blanket, he's quite used to it. Investigating the surroundings of his temporary accommodation doesn't take long. It's a tiny village, and pretty much abandoned. His house in particular is more secluded than the other houses, with a wild, weedy, garden surrounding all sides of the house. He gets the suspicion that the ministry has used this location for ex-convicts before.

He's only halfway down the long street that runs through the middle of the village when it starts hailing, but Gellert wasn't raised a quitter, and so he pushes on, every now and then stumbling over his own feet. He starts feeling unsure when a tiny square, surrounded by multiple tiny stores, comes into view. About three people are outside, walking up to the stores they were looking for. Gellert hasn't communicated with people in years, and so he pushes his scarf up to cover some more of his face, bows his head, and ties to pass unnoticed. The plan almost works.

He made it to the other side of the square, thinking he didn't get recognized, but luck wasn't really on his side. As Gellert weaved his way further through the village, almost nearing the end, he noticed someone following him. His first thought way to straight up confront this person, but upon remembering he didn't have a wand, or magic in general, he decided to try and slip away. He kept and eye on the witch through reflections in windows, and realised she came closer and closer the further he got from public places. That sure wasn't a good sign. So apparently he had to get back to the square in order to ensure his own safety. The only problem was that he hadn't got a clue where he was going, and the only sure way to get back was to turn around, which wasn't quite possible with the stalker in his back.  
The witch got nearer, and he decided he had no choice, so he turned on his heels and made a run for it.

The witch catches up a lot faster than he had hoped, but it didn't surprise him. He tries to dodge the spell she fires at him, but then his body goes stiff, and he falls over, not able to move. A face looms over him. "I know who you are." Panic rises in him, and he struggles to bring his arms up to protect his head, but it's no use with the spell binding him in place. The witch smiles maliciously at his struggle. "How does it feel?"  
He glares at her, refusing to answer.  
"Gellert Grindelwald. Dark wizard of the century. And look at you now. Have you read the papers, _dear_?" She sneers. "They say you've payed for what you've done to the Wizarding World, but I don't think you'll ever suffer enough for what you've done to my nephew."  
A wave of her wand. "Silencio" Then another one, and Gellert is writhing on the cold stone street. He wants to scream, but the silencio had muted him, and instead of sound, blood comes out of his throat.  
When the pain dies down, the witch is nowhere to be found. Gellert lies heaving on the pavement for another ten minutes and groans, at which he discovers his voice has returned to him. It takes him almost an hour to drag his weakened body back to his house, and it takes until the next morning for him to stop occasionally coughing up blood.  
It takes him a full week to dare and set foot outside again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Albus will be there soon, don't worry! Really!  
> Next chapter. I promise. With a capital P.


	3. PART TWO - II & III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When he wakes up, the room is shrouded in darkness, and someone is sitting at the foot end of his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear some day someone is going to find me and slaughter me for the horrendous overuse of commas.

II  
Nobody wants to hire him. That's the full summary of the past two weeks he's gone through, and at this point he's gotten quite tired of it.  
It's not that he can't understand why they don't want to hire him. He used to be a dark and fearsome wizard, and he knows it, so obviously nobody wants him as an employee. Its just that he's trying to pay back what he's taken from the wizarding world, but nobody gives him a chance.  
He wonders how long before the ministry throws him out of the temporary house. Up until this point, all of his accommodation and food costs are paid by the ministry, as to give him a fair chance to get back in society. But they won't keep that up for the rest of his life, he's sure of that, and it looks like he won't be able to get any job anytime soon.

His last desperate try is a pet store. It's just a regular pet store, with owls and cats and toads. He's trying to get a job at the back of the store. He gets that store owners don't want him to be seen by the customers, as that would probably scare them off, but taking care of the animals out of sight should be fine. Right?

Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, the store owner doesn't quite welcome him at the job interview. In fact, the very first words that are hurled at him are "Get out."  
"Wait, hear me out-"  
" _Out_ , I said!"  
He's grabbed by the collar of his coat, and dragged along to the back of the shop, arms flailing. Once in the dark back corner, a wand is pressed to his cheek. "What makes you thing I'll ever hire _you_?"  
"Look, I can work at the back, no customer has to see-" He's cut of by the wand pressed harder into his cheek, now quite stinging.  
"Right," the store owner laughs humourlessly, "and I'll just have to _trust_ you not to kill or torture any of my poor little animals, huh? You really thought I'd do that?"  
_Shit. He hadn't even thought of the possibility that would be thought of him. He should have, with his reputation._  
With a kick, the store owner opens a backdoor, and shoves Gellert out of it, door slamming in his face.  
The door leads to a small , silent, backalley, and Gellert stumbles on his feet. His back hits a form. "Oof" the form says. Gellert turns around, an apology already on the tip of his tongue, but the form, a man, is faster. "YOU."  
Another accusing wand is pointed at him, and Gellert can already feel what's going to happen. He trips over backwards, in a failed attempt to escape, and his head hits the door he just passed through. So much for that. Besides the pointing wand, the man is now also sporting a sly grin. Gellert feel like he might cry. He opens his mouth once more, to deliver the apology, but instead the first words out of his mouth are: "Not again."  
Those are also the last words he speaks that day.

The man kicks him in the ribs, which Gellert, in an ironic state of self deprecation, marks in his head as a good move. Or original, at the least.  
But then the stranger _is_ using magic, and he's not even bothering with a silencio. Multiple cuts are appearing on Gellerts chest, and the dark red colour starts welling up through his clothing. And he screams, oh god, he screams. Somewhere in the back of his head, he's grateful that the man didn't mute him, because screaming makes the pain a tiny bit more bearable. It gives him something else to focus on than the pain. Then, the by now familiar feeling of having lost too much blood starts to sink in. Only this time, it's worse than the usual revenge action.

He scrunches his eyes shut, and tries to stop screaming, as his throat now feels raw. He's done. He's over and done with. This was it.  
The blood just keeps pouring and it burns, oh god, the pain is searing, screaming. He's shaking, and the whole ocean is in his ears and on his face, and he's drowning, and his vision is green, then black. There's a sound coming through, his own ragged hyperventilating, but his brain is too fuzzy to register it. There are pins and needles in his fingers and his toes, and they're creeping upwards from his extremities into his limbs and,

and then he's out.

III  
When Gellert wakes up, he's staring at a white ceiling, unlike the yellowed, water-damaged one in his temporary house. His eyes hurt, but he forces them to stay open anyways. With a quick glance around, he establishes he's in a hospital ward, but it's not the one in St Mungo's that they usually place him in.  
He tries to use his voice, to call out for someone to tell him where he is, but only a slight wheezing comes out. Giving up on that attempt, he tries to figure out where he is himself, paying more attention to details in the ward. There's quite a lot of beds in the room, all empty besides his. St Mungo's usually puts him in a private room when he's been through another revenge attack. The staff learned the first day that the other patients would rather leave the hospital and die, than lie on a bed next to The Gellert Grindelwald, fearing for their lives with every second.  
The staff themselves didn't really appreciate his presence either, but, as medics, they still try their best to save him from life threatening wounds and curses. Once established that he isn't going to die, they leave as fast as they can.  
The only one to genuinely worry over Gellert's state of being, was a young nurse, only about 25 years old. She was always gentle with him during his stays, and actually volunteered to take the shifts of nurses who weren't so nice to him. Whenever she'd been notified he'd been attacked again, she would walk up to his room, and gave him that sad look, that wasn't pity, but genuine despair at the fact he'd been so monstrously attacked again. Gellert appreciated that, and by the end of the first week, he'd made a mental note that as soon as he has a job or income of sorts, the first thing he'll buy is a thank-you-gift for her.  
Looking around the room, he also notices a glass of water standing on the nightstand next to his bed, which he gratefully takes. When he turns to put the glass back on the nightstand, a portrait swings open, and a woman walks out.

She immediately notices him sitting up, and strides over to his side. "You're awake. Good. How does your chest feel? Any flaring pains left?"  
He bats his eyes twice at the way she seems to stoickly ignore who he is, and croaks out his answer. " Better. Flaring pains dulled but still there." He winces as he lies down on his back again. The woman nods once, strides over to a cabinet, unlocks it, takes out a vial, and pushes it in his hands. "Take this."  
She watches as he gulps down the potion, then nods once more, satisfied. "I am Madam Pomfrey. You're in Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." she supplies, as if reading his fuzzy mind. His confused observating probably gave it away. "...Why?"  
She smiles, her eyes a tad sad. "You were brought here in a horrible state, a few more minutes and it would have been too late. Professor Dumbledore thought it better to apparate you over to Hogwarts instead of St Mungo's. It has to do with the fact that he'd like to watch over you, although," the smile turns a bit mischievous, "that's not the reason he supplied."  
_Dumbledore. Oh._  
A shiver runs over his back, along with the nauseating feeling of shame. The woman seems to notice his change of expression, and the smile disappears. "Don't worry." she reassures him, then stalks off, and disappears back into the portrait. After restlessly tossing and turning in his bed for at least an hour, he manages to fall back to sleep due to pure exhaustion.

-

When he wakes up the room is shrouded in darkness, and someone is sitting at the foot end of his bed. Gellert considers pretending to be still asleep, but a familiar half-sigh-half-chuckle tells him it's no use. Gellert and Albus stare at each other through the veil of shadows, silently waiting for the other to say something. It is Albus who relents, after waving his wand to lighten a candle on the bedside, a lonely flame battling in a hopeless fight to conquer the grim situation. "Grindelwald."  
The use of his last name sounds foreign coming from Albus' mouth, and Gellert tries, and fails, not to cringe.  
"Albus." He counters stubbornly, and the Hogwarts Professor swallows visibly, candlelight flickering on his throat.  
"Gellert." Albus acquiesces, then struggles for the right words to continue. "You were attacked." he then not so eloquently states, and Gellert can't stop a corner of his mouth from lifting. Albus, however, doesn't see any fun in the situation and frowns. "Why?"  
Gellert fights his face into submission, turning it serious again, and lifts his chin up. "Revenge."  
"You're saying you attacked first?" There's a disappointment, and a tinge of disbelieve in Albus' voice.  
"No. Revenge for past things that happened."  
"Oh." And then: "Why didn't you defend yourself?"  
"How was I supposed to?" Gellert now waves his hands around, frustrated. "No magic, didn't you hear?"  
It had been in the papers, the day of his release from prison. It was meant to calm the people down, assure them he was no threat anymore. Instead, it had informed an angry crowd on the fact that he was defenceless.  
Albus frowned at that, and a fist clenched in the bedsheets, next to Gellerts feet. "Has it happened before?"  
"They've given me a personal chamber in St Mungo's." Gellert say in lieu of an answer, bitterness creeping into his voice.  
Albus' fist twitches, and for a second touches Gellerts feet through the bedsheets. "And you haven't asked for help?"  
Gellert doesn't answer, not wanting to admit that he feels like he kind of deserves whatever attack is hurled at him, and pointedly doesn't meet Albus' eyes.  
"Do you know how I found you? You were lying in an alley, unconscious, and your blood was everywhere. Not even just on the ground, no, it was on the walls on both sides of the alley, and it was caked in your hair. Your breathing was so shallow, I-" Albus' voice breaks. He swallows, then tries again, shakily. "I thought you were dead."  
There's silence for a few minutes, Albus regaining composure, taking deep breaths, and Gellert fumbling with the bandages on his chest. Then, in a soft, pained voice, Albus whispers: "Why didn't you contact me?" and the pure sadness in his voice almost hurts Gellert more than the attack that nearly killed him. It feels like he can't breathe, and he wants to crawl over to the end of the bed Albus is sitting on, curl himself around the older man, and never let go, but a big portrait on the wall swings open, and a head pokes out.

"Madame Pomfrey."  
"Professor Dumbledore, you said you wouldn't exhaust him."  
"Yes, I did. I'm sorry."  
And then the auburn haired man is off the bed and out of the door, and Gellert feels more alone that he has in the past fifteen years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow there's so much pain and unhealthy relationship stuff in the Albus/Gellert tag... time to heal some souls in the next chapter. I got your back x


	4. PART TWO - IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's only when Albus' questioning eyes are fixed on his face, that he realizes he hasn't said anything out loud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays x

The whole day, Gellert mopes around the hospital ward. Halfway through the afternoon Madam Pomfrey gave up on trying to make him stay in the bed. Twice that day a student wandered into the hospital ward for a potion, at which Gellert hides in his bed, not wanting to be recognised and cause a commotion, or worse, be thrown out. He also took catnaps, the bed being way too comfortable, and his body still beat up from almost dying.   
But despite all the relaxing, Gellert still has a nervous jittery feeling going through his veins. He finds his mind wondering about Albus, and he Therealises he doesn't even know that much about the man these days. No doubt he's a good professor, Gellert had always been astounded by the older wizard's bright mind and his incredible patience. But did the students like him? Was he a favourite? Did they respect him as Gellert had done, and, to be fair, still did?   
_They'd better. They don't know the privilege they have, to be taught by such a great man._  
When, in the early evening, another student, a Gryffindor complaining about headaches, comes in for medical help, Gellert once more huddles himself in his blankets, back turned on the child. Thank god there weren't any incidents serious enough to render a student to stay in the ward, Gellert was sure he'd go mad in such a case. Whilst Madam Pomfrey collected a tincture filled with potion for the Gryffindor, Gellert decided to give trying to sleep another go. He was out in under a minute, dreamless sleep creeping into his mind.

When he wakes up in the dark, he half expects Albus to be sitting at the foot end of the bed again. Or really, he hopes that will be the case. Upon realising there is no extra weight next to his feet, the disappointment is about to settle in, a cold feeling like fresh snow piling up on bare skin, but the he spots a man-shaped form on a chair that hadn't been next to his bed before. The form is unmistakably Albus, auburn hair falling on his face, and a big, red, blanket draped around him. His mouth is slightly open, and his breathing a calm and even rhythm. Gellert considers waking him up, but something about the serenity of the sight, and the pure relaxation on Albus' face stops him from doing so.

Madam Pomfrey wakes up to the sound of Gellert Grindelwald almost choking. It's a hushed sound, but she's trained to be alert at any sign of illness, so she steps out of the portrait, to find Gellert in his bed, trying to hold in a coughing fit. Out of the corner of her eye she spots a certain transfiguration teacher, slumped in the chair next to Gellert's bed. She casts a silencing spell around Gellert and herself, then slaps the blonde wizard on his back, effectively getting him through his coughing fit. When the ex prisoner is finally breathing normally again, she gives him a stern look. "What was that about? Your chest is still healing, holding in coughs isn't really helping, you know."   
Gellert looks guilty. "I didn't want to wake him up."   
"Yes, I figured that. Why though? You know that talking to him will help. Why don't you?"   
"What if he leaves? What if he didn't mean to fall asleep in that chair?"   
Madam Pomfrey feels like rolling her eyes far back into her head at such stupidity, but she's used to stupid questions, and keeps her professional facial expression.   
"You're kidding, right?" She can't help but say. "He refused to get out of that chair. I asked him at least four times. Sleeping in a chair is really bad for your back, and it pains me to even look at it, but he specifically asked me to leave him there."   
"So, you can't levitate him into a bed?" Gellert frowns, looking at Albus, who's head is now cricket to one side.   
"No. I promised him not to move him." Madam Pomfrey states with a pained expression.   
"And... Would you stop _me_ from moving him?" Gellert ponders.   
Madam Pomfrey positively beams at the blonde, but then her expression turns dark. "You have no magic. You can't levitate him."   
"I'll carry him."   
"I was afraid you'd say that. Your chest is still healing, you're not supposed to put pressure on it."   
After a bit of a conflict, Madam Pomfrey agrees to accio over a bed (technically that doesn't move Albus) so that Gellert doesn't have to carry him far. "Thank you," she says sincerely, looking Gellert in the eyes, "now I can finally sleep peacefully. You should get some more rest too, though." She turns to leave. "Goodnight." She says over her shoulder, and to Gellert's pleasant surprise she means it.

-

Albus is already awake when Gellert opens his eyes in the early morning. "Madam Pomfrey wanted me to tell you that you're free to leave the hospital ward after breakfast." Is the first thing he says. Then a flicker of a smile passes his lips. "She also said she wouldn't move me."   
He gives Gellert a suspicious glance.

The silence that follows is heavy, if not slightly awkward. 'So...' Albus hesitates, 'what are you going to do now?'   
Gellert shrugs at that, not really excited to be thinking about what comes next. 'I guess I'll go back to my apartment, and continue my search for a job.'   
Albus looks appalled at that. 'You can't go back and just continue where you left off!'   
'Why not? I don't have much of a choice, if I'm completely honest.'   
'Gell, you almost _died_.'   
'Yeah, I'm aware of that.' Gellert replies, plucking at the bandages, and trying to ignore the fact Albus used his old nickname. The appalled look is still on Albus' face, and the older wizard frowns. 'Gellert, I'm serious. What if the next time I find your body, it really _is_ too late?'   
'Then I'm dea-'   
'NO.'   
Before Gellert can finish his sentence, Albus us off his bed, and on Gellert's, their faces mere centimetres apart. Albus' stare is wide-eyed, and on the verge of desperate. Gellert, quite shocked at the heavy reaction, stares back equally wide-eyed. 'Uh.'   
Albus catapults back to the foot end of the bed, which in Gellert's mind is by now referred to as "his end".   
'Stay here?' the Hogwarts professor asks, eyes trained on a cupboard on the wall facing Gellert. 'Please.' He adds as an afterthought.   
Gellert is about to ask him why he would propose that, but decides against it. No need to push his luck.   
_Yes_ , he thinks. _God, yes._    
It's only when Albus' questioning eyes are fixed on his face, that he realizes he hasn't said anything out loud.   
Albus gets up from his end of the bed, and saunters towards the exit of the ward. 'Come, you can think about it during breakfast.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shortness and lateness of this chapter. I have reasons, but that's not the point. I'll try to write a better next chapter x  
> (Also this has not been proofread, please bear with the grammar/spelling errors (I might take em out later at some point))


	5. PART TWO - IV (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He remembers soft golden sunlight shrouding his lover's hair like a soft halo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2019 dear readers x

'I have talked to the Headmaster,' Albus states over his breakfast. They're sitting in Albus' quarters, facing each other with a table in between them. Gellert shoves a big bite of eggs down his throat as Albus continues. 'There's a small annex, situated close to the greenhouses and the Great Lake.'  
Gellert doesn't bother answering, too focused on how good the food is compared to the- excuse his words- vile trash they fed him in prison. Albus doesn't seem fazed by the lack of reply. 'The annex used to house a magizoologist a few years ago. She stayed for a couple of months to cure the Giant Octopus in the lake of some illness. It was a dreadful affair, we had to keep the students away from the area for a while because the treatment polluted the lake. Took a full week to clean it too.' The Hogwarts professor sighs at the memory. 'Anyways, they kept the annex intact, in case a new, similar situation would come up at some point. It is empty at the moment, and Headmaster Dippet has conceded to my request to let you stay there for a while. What do you say?'  
Albus can't help but smile at Gellert, who is busy chewing the ridiculous amount of bacon he stuffed in his mouth a moment ago. 'It's good, isn't it?'  
'Yes.'  
'Is that a yes at the food being good, or at the plan for you stay stay at the Hogwarts grounds?'  
Gellert contemplates that. 'Both,' he concludes. 'Both.'

-

Albus quickly shows Gellert the accommodation before it's time for his first class to teach that day. He also sends a house elf to Gellert's previous place, to gather some clothes. As Albus leaves to meet his students in his classroom, Gellert makes a stroll back to the hospital ward to give his thanks to Madam Pomfrey. He gets stares and whispers as he passes some students, who don't have a morning class, in the hall, but he pays them no attention. A whole list of questions is rapidly forming in his mind, and for a moment he thinks of scheduling a meeting with Headmaster Dippet for some answers, but then decides it too early for such a conversation.

When he tells Madam Pomfrey of his temporary stay, she does not seem surprised at all. 'Headmaster Dippet has granted requests of professor Dumbledore before,' she informs him. 'He seems to have a soft spot. Well, that and of course the fact that mister Dumbledore is a very skilled professor and a great asset to Hogwarts. I think Headmaster Dippet would risk a lot to keep mister Dumbledore in his position here as the transfiguration teacher.'  
Gellert ponders on the way that Madam Pomfrey's statement seems to imply that the Headmaster is under the impression that Gellert's to stay at Hogwarts is related to Albus' stay.  
'Does the headmaster truly think that if he denied the request, Albus- I mean- professor Dumbledore- would leave his position?'  
'Only the Headmaster himself can answer that I'm afraid.' Madam Pomfrey answers, a smile in her eyes.  
'But that's...'  
'Intriguing?'  
'I was gonna go for ridiculous.'  
Madam Pomfrey laughs heartily at that, then shakes her head, and starts shooing Gellert out of the room. 'Come on, off with you. You're not injured anymore, and I have errands to run. Do come by in a few days though, I'd like to check if the scarring on your chest isn't too bad.'

-

Gellert spends the rest of the day getting used to his new accommodation. It's not very big, but it's quite dusty, and without his magic, Gellert spends a few full hours on cleaning up the mess. The mindless work gives him time to think things over. _Why does Albus want me to stay so badly? Is he trying to be a good friend? I'm not sure I deserve any kindness from him at all, after everything I've done._  He then thinks about the whispers from the students he passed in the halls. For sure by now the news of his being at Hogwarts would've spread like a wildfire by now. How long before the Prophet shows up?

-

It is about 10 O clock in the evening when the door to Albus' private quarters creaks, and a weary Gellert Grindelwald steps inside, a big red blanket draped over his shoulders. The Hogwarts professor gives a look of surprise. "I thought they gave you your own place to stay?"  
"Lonely."  
The older man chokes on his tea. "Did you just say "Lonely"?"  
"No." The blonde deadpans, then flops down quite ungraciously on the couch, next to Albus, who's tries to save his tea from spillage.  
"Okay... Hold on, is that my blanket?"  
"Yes," Gellert shrugs, pointedly pulling the piece of cloth tighter around his shoulders. "You left it in the hospital ward." Another shrug, and the blonde steals the cup of tea from the fingers of his stunned counterpart, taking a satisfied sip.  
In the end they don't really talk. Albus continues reading his book, like he planned to do that evening, and Gellert makes a pot of tea for the two of them, despite Albus' protests that it would be faster if Albus' himself just did it with magic, or if they asked a house elf to get them some tea from the kitchen. When Albus' finishes another chapter, and finally closes his book, he finds Gellert asleep, next to him on the couch.

It is the most peaceful Albus' has ever seen the blonde man. Back when they were young, Gellert had always had that excited and focused energy dancing around him, like flames worshipping a log of wood in the hearth. And then, later in life, peace really wasn't a word that could be put in the same sentence as the name Gellert Grindelwald. But here he is, chest softly rising, the movement barely visible underneath the blanket. Albus' reaches out and starts combing the other man's hair, soft blonde locks slipping through his fingers, then pulls back his hand, realising he isn't supposed to be doing that. He remembers the first time he combed Gellert's hair like that, with the German's head resting on Albus' lap, the two of them tangled together in the barn next to Albus' house. He remembers soft golden sunlight shrouding his lover's hair like a soft halo. He remembers hands fumbling and eyes scrunched tightly shut, pleasure and love scorching their permanent mark all over him, inside and out.

But he also remembers pain. Betrayal. Heartbreak. He remembers looking at himself in a mirror, and barely recognising the pale caricature of a face staring back. He remembers telling himself to never let anyone that close again.

And thus he wrestles himself out of the couch, arranges the blankets properly over the blonde, and leaves the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 'slow burn' more like 'are you sure you even lit that fire?'" - me, an idiot, complaining about my own story that i wrote myself


	6. PART TWO - IV (Part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gellert is still twitchy and his heartbeat is still going faster than it's supposed to go, but he isn't going to admit that to Albus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ey guys. Im not doing quite well atm, and it shows, so heres a very short chapter to prove I havent completely died.

In the morning he only eats one dry slice of bread for breakfast. Albus eyes him wearily, and asks gently if something is wrong. He shrugs it off, he's just not that hungry today, and Albus leaves the quarters to prepare his classroom for the first lesson of that day. Gellert only realises something really _is_  wrong when he suddenly catches himself shaking, as if he's standing in the winter snow without a coat on. The second thing he registers is the anxiety, and then he realises he's nauseous. Before he knows it, tears are in his eyes, and he's choking, desperately gasping for air, but it's no help. His instincts screams at him, telling him to find shelter, to hide himself from the world and all its dangers, and so he painstakingly half-stumbles-half-crawls to the nearest small hiding place in the room, which happens to be a gap between two bookshelves.  
And then he's transported back to the day Albus saved his life, and he's hyperventilating again, and the pain in his chest flares up, and he can't _breathe_ , and there are tears on his face, and he knows it, and a voice in his head tells him he's having a panic attack, and he knows that too, but he doesn't remember how to breathe calmly, so he panics some more, and he tries to call out for help, but Albus' name get's stuck in his throat, and trying to talk just makes it _worse_  and he feels like he's going to pass out, but at the same time knows that he wont and yet he desperately hopes that he will just so he doesnt have to feel like this anymore and what time is it anyways is albus currently teaching how long will it take until he comes back to save gellert undeserving gellert who so desperately needs him and the strangled cries come out of his throat but he doesnt recognize the sound and is that albus in the doorway or just his desperate imagnation for help and theres a hand on his shoulder and a soft voice but he cant hear what the words are over his own breathing and then there are hands on his face and hes looking into albus eyes which he recognizes even through the blur of his tears and a hand rubs his back and then his hand is pressed to the chest of the man he loves and albus tells him to try and sync his breathing to the deep breaths Albus is taking and he thinks, maybe, he might be capable of doing that.

He's sitting on the small couch, Albus next to him, thigh pressed to thigh. He's nursing a cup of tea, offered to his clammy hands by Albus, who took a sick day despite Gellert's assurances that, yes, he was fine now, and no, Albus didn't need to watch over him for the rest of the day. But Albus had hushed him, saying the students could probably do with a free period as well, judging by the stressed looks that had been "gracing" their faces the past weeks. And so, there they are.  
In reality, Gellert is still twitchy and his heartbeat is still going faster than it's supposed to go, but he isn't going to admit that to Albus. The man already fusses too much over him at the moment.  
"I didn't think you'd want to hear from me ever again."  
Albus gives the blonde an incredulous stare. "What...?"  
"At the hospital ward. You asked me why I didn't contact you." Gellert gives Albus some time to puzzle it out in his mind, then continues. "I thought of it a lot, actually. But after everything that happened I didn't think you'd want to hear from me, let alone meet up. So I stayed away. If that decision hurt you, then..." He swallows thickly. "Then I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."  
"...Are you sure you're feeling okay?"  
" _Yes_."  
Albus nods, more to himself than to Gellert. "I see."  
"I don't think you do."  
"That's alright." The Auburn haired man smiles wryly. "That just means I'm probably not ready to see it yet."  
Silence falls between the two. Gellert gets up for more tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo.... what happened here is I tried to pass on the feeling of anxiety and nauseousness and not being able to breathe through words. So I made a sentence so long that if someone were to read it out loud, at the end they'd be as much out of breath as Gellert was in the story. Also the spelling mistakes in there haven't been corrected on purpose to give it the whole "thoughts going crazy" feeling.  
> Well.  
> Next chapter will be longer and better. Promise.


	7. PART THREE - V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'The exact colour of my eyes, huh?'  
> Gellert chuckles at that. 'We both know I have the superior fashion sense here.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hello...  
> I am very sorry for disappearing on y'all for months, yet here I am! Back by unpopular demand.  
> I had to deal with some things my IRL life threw at me. I won't specify what it is, it's probably not in your interest.  
> I hope I've not lost your interest, though, in the time I have been absent. If I have, then, well, I have myself to blame for that, don't I?  
> Anyway. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

V  
Life got easier for Gellert Grindelwald, now that he was offered shelter at Hogwarts. But that still didn't mean his life was _easy_. Despite the efforts of Albus, Gellert, and the Headmaster to keep quiet about Gellert's stay, the news somehow had gotten out to the Daily Prophet anyway. It was a minor setback for the former Dark Lord, but not an unexpected one. You couldn't expect children to keep their mouth shut, and Gellert had been spotted by multiple students in the past days.  
With the front page Prophet article came angry letter from parents, complaining to the headmaster that they didn't want their sons and daughters to be around the bad influence of Gellert Grindelwald. Those too had been expected, and the Headmaster made an announcement about Grindelwald staying at the school the next day, explaining and justifying his choice to let the former prisoner stay. It convince some, but definitely not all.

Albus gets the idea on the third day Gellert gets harassed by a group of students. Obviously they're not allowed to jinx him, or anyone for that matter, but since when have rules ever really stopped a bunch of pubescent teenagers? And certainly not pubescent teenagers who feel like they're doing the morally correct thing by "saving" the school of an evil sorcerer. The next morning Albus pitches his idea to Gellert, whom he visits with breakfast food every morning to start the day.

'I have done some research.' He states the moment Gellert sits down for breakfast. The blonde smiles.  
'Of course you have.'  
'It's about the no-wand situation.' The smile disappears, eyebrows frown.  
'Al, we talked about this.'

They had, right after Gellert got jinxed the first time. The argument ended unsatisfactory, with Gellert arguing he should abide by the terms of his parole, and Albus, aggravated, arguing he should have the basic human right of being able to defend himself against harm. After that they didn't speak to each other all day, just staring at each other each time their paths crossed. The argument was finally ended in the evening, when Gellert gave in and visited Albus in his chambers, bringing a pot of tea with him. As the German is still not a big fan of apologising, despite trying to become a better person, it's no surprise he is reluctant to start up the argument again. Albus seems to have different plans.

'I think you should go to Headmaster Dippet, and ask for his advice on the matter.'  
'If I do go to meet the Headmaster, will you stop arguing about this?'  
'I might.'  
Gellert sighs deeply, at which Albus smiles, knowing he has won this battle. 'Fine.'

-

Gellert paces the floor of his tiny living space, trying to convince himself he isn't nervous to meet the Headmaster. He's just an old man. Like every other wizard. Just happens to rule a school. Right? Right. Yet, there's a voice nagging at the back of his head, reminding him of the fact that so far Albus has done all the requests on his behalf. Now he's got to fend for himself, and he isn't fully sure he's got the spirit to do so. With the determination to at least not be late, he swoops out of the door and towards the Hogwarts castle, coat billowing behind him. He's so caught up in his quest that he doesn't register Albus calling out his name until the man has put a hand on his shoulder to stop his fast pace. Gellert flinches, then recognises the transfiguration teacher.  
'Gellert, where are you going? We're supposed to meet the Headmaster in fifteen minutes.'  
That's where I was goi-, wait, did you just say "we"?'  
Albus' frown deepens. 'Yes? Why would I suddenly leave you to fight your own battle when it come to such an important matter?'  
'Well, I just... Never mind. I don't know.  
Why are you looking at me like that?'  
'... Let's go.'

To Gellert's astonishment the Headmaster agrees with Albus, already pulling out a pen to write a letter to the ministry the moment Albus and Gellert turn to leave. He'd, of course, heard of the incidents, and has, like Albus, done some research himself already.

-

The package arrives merely four days later. It is Albus who fetches it from the Owlery, and the red haired man has to restrain himself from excitedly running over to Gellert's hut in front of the students. In a fast impatient stride he makes his way over to Gellert's living space, all but barging in. 'It's here!'  
The blonde is still in bed, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, as Albus all but dumps himself on the foot end, shoving the parcel in Gellert's fumbling hands. The latter sits up straight, draping the blanket around him, then unwraps the parcel. A long rectangular box and a sealed letter fall out. Gellert picks up the letter first, if only to tease Albus, and breaks the ministry seal to unfold the paper.

_Sir Grindelwald,_

_The ministry legal section has had a meeting concerning your situation. They have decided to abide to the pleas of Sir Dippet, Hogwards Headmaster, and grant you permission to use this specifically designed ministry wand. The wand is linked with the security bracelet that is currently around your wrist. The combination of bracelet and wand allow for simple and harmless spells to be cast. It is will be impossible to use magic like any free citizen, but self defence should now be possible, as well as a range of basic spells that should help with everyday life._

_We assume you to behave for the rest of your parole. If not, all liberties will be retracted, including this wand._

_Signed,_  
_Ministry of Magic_

By the time Gellert is opening the box, his hands are trembling. The wand is nestled snugly in the bedding of the box. It doesn't look special whatsoever, just a straightforward polished stick, slightly shorter than Gellert's original wand. When the blond picks up the wand, however, he feels a tingle running up his arm. It's as if he can finally breathe fresh air, after having been in a claggy environment for so long he stopped noticing it. Suddenly he's at a loss. So many years yearning to be able to use magic again, and yet here is is, wand in hand, with no idea what spell to cast first.  
He ends up pointing the wand at Albus' tie, the auburn haired man following his movements with excitement. 'Colovaria.'  
It is a mere whisper with a trembling voice, but the tie smoothly changes to blue anyway. Albus plucks it out of his waistcoat, gently turning the piece of satin in his hand. 'The exact colour of my eyes, huh?'  
Gellert chuckles at that. 'We both know I have the superior fashion sense here.'  
At that Albus beams up at him, and they both laugh out loud. It feels good, finally letting out some of the stress and exhaustion of the past month, if not years. As Gellert is wiping happy tears out of the corner of his eye, Albus scoots closer and drapes his arms around the other man, resting his chin on Gellert's shoulder. Blond hair tickles his ear as he sighs, and in a suddenly serious, sincere voice he says: 'I'm so glad I won't have to see you hurt by those cruel teens anymore.'  
Gellert stays quiet.

-

After Albus untangles himself from the blonde, who immediately misses the warmth, he suggests Gellert tries some more spells. The glass on the nightstand refills itself with water after an _aguamenti_ , and with an _engorio_  the blanket doubles in size. After a bit of a struggle the German even manages to conjure a bird with the _avis_  spell, although that does seen to be touching the limit of the wand's magical powers. The two men also test the defending spells, and Gellert is able to protect himself from a tickling spell sent his way by Albus. Their fun get cut short by Albus realizing he has to go back to the castle to teach his next class, so Gellert stands up to walk him to the door. For a moment the two stare at each other, reluctant to break the happy moment, then Albus dutifully turns to leave.  
'Wait!'  
The Hogwarts teacher turns back to face Gellert.  
'I just..'  
Gellert looks at the wand in his hand, then at Albus. _"Thank you"_  he wants to say. 'I love you' is what comes out of his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always end on the drama, amiright?


	8. PART THREE - VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The man seems displeased at his questions, and even slightly insulted. 'You don't remember me, Gellert? I am the only one who stayed loyal to the cause.'

VI

'And then, of course, I fumbled and he just stared at me, frozen in spot for eternity, so I panicked and shut the door in his face.'  
'And have you talked to him since?'  
Gellert looks at her as if she's grown an extra head. 'No! I'd sooner flee the country! Actually that doesn't sound like a bad plan right now.' The blonde groans, as he hides his face in his hands.  
Madam Pomfrey sends him a rueful smile 'Let's not make plans before I've checked your wounds, mister. Now, have they been troubling you recently?'  
Gellert shakes his head. 'Not since Monday.'  
'Good.' Madam Pomfrey motions for him to lift his shirt, then begins to check on the almost healed wounds and the scarred tissue. 'So, what are you going to do now?'  
'I told you, I'm going on the run. Maybe back to Germany. I do miss the language.'  
'Oh no, I can't allow for that. You are so much better with him around, and I'm not just talking about the wounds, this is about emotional health as well. No don't look like that, I see everything when it comes to health matters.' She sighs at Gellert's pleading expression. 'You two will figure it out, trust me.'

-

They don't figure it out for the rest of the week, and Gellert starts thinking he's ruined everything they had built back up. Albus doesn't visit with breakfast anymore, gifting the house elves with a grumbling Gellert Grindelwald moping around the kitchen every morning. He walks in their way all the time, but the house elves secretly like him because he really seems to appreciate every single food dish they give him.

The blonde doesn't only visit the kitchens in the mornings. Sometimes, when he wakes up from restless sleep, he waddles over to the castle to make himself a hot chocolate, all the while trying not to wake the house elves. Tonight he's doing just that, tucking his head further in the collar of his coat as he makes his way to a backdoor into the castle. Once inside he shivers, letting the cold of the night flow off, when he picks up on a noise of distress. Curiously he follows the sound, which he now recognises as footsteps and some kind of shuffling, struggling sound. It's as if a man is trying to drag his dog somewhere else, when the four footed animal wants to go the other way to run after a butterfly. 'All this time he waited to be reunited with you... Where is he now, huh?' says an unknown voice in a condescending tone. As he pokes his head around the corner, he sees a figure disappearing in an storage room. He quickly runs up to the door, and manages to keep the figure from shutting the door, pulling it back open instead. What he sees makes his blood curdle.

Inside the supplies closet stands a man, hovering over Albus Dumbledore. The latter is caught in an incarcerous spell, stripped of his wand, and silenced with a _silencio_. Gellert swallows. The only way this could've happened was if the man surprise-attacked Albus in the back with a disarming spell, whilst the Professor thought he was safe in Hogwarts and thus not on his guard.  
The man whirls around to spot Gellert, as the blonde swings the door open. 'Don't move or he dies.' the man hisses with the same voice as the one Gellert heard in the hallway. Gellert freezes immediately, eyes fixated on Albus.  
'Get inside, close the door behind you,' the man orders, at which Gellert obeys again. Then the man grins. 'I would say: _"hand over your wand"_  but you're wandless anyways. Ha, regret not escaping now?'  
'What do you mean?' Gellerts voice sounds unwavering, but he has difficulty stopping himself from trembling. 'Who are you?'  
The man seems displeased at his questions, and even slightly insulted. 'You don't remember me, Gellert? I am the only one who stayed loyal to the cause.'

'You see, I had heard of your cause from a friend of mine, who knew one of your followers. I had just decided to join you and your people, when the news came in that you were caught by the ministry. Obviously I expected you to break loose with some help of your followers, but no such thing happened. I realised your lame followers must have gone on the run, scared to be caught themselves, and thus I decided to be the one to break you out myself.

'I spent the next month doing my research, and figuring out how to infiltrate the ministry. In the end I managed to be assigned as one of your prison guards. Is your memory returning to you now? Yes, I was the one who offered to break you out. I remember your answer clearly. I was fuming for days, you see, cause you said you were tired of running. But what stuck with me most was that you said you might get to see him again if you survived sitting out the 15 years of prison.

'I did all that work, fooling the ministry and all, to get you out and back on the cause; and there you were, happily throwing away said cause for the possibility to see some guy. I realised that I was the only loyal one. Your followers left both you and the cause to rot the moment they found out they were on the losing side. And then even you decided to give up, I couldn't believe it.

'So I decided to win back my pride and destroy what caused all my work to end up as wasted time. The person you wanted to see so badly, you'd rather rot in a cell for 15 years than break out and be free.'

Gellert growls at that. 'Do you really think destroying him will get me back on the cause?'  
The man looks down on him. 'Oh, no. I don't need you anymore. This is just a little bit of fun. For me.'  
Gellert fumbles with his sleeve, his wand secretly poking out of it, as he tries to undo the binding ropes around Albus. His wand, however doesn't cooperate, making the blonde curse under his breath. 'So how'd you get in here then?'  
To his relief, the man takes the bait, seeming more than happy to gloat about his infiltrating skills.

'So I asked around. You should know I have a lot of connections who will tell me just about any bit of information for the right price. I did what I had to do to found out who this "him" person was. In the end I did, as you can see.

'I then knew I had to get into Hogwarts. And that's where you show up again. When I heard the news of you staying in Hogwarts, I saw a change to pretend to be a ministry guy again. Especially with the Prophet and the parents complaining about the danger you would cause for the children, I realised it would come in handy to have someone from the ministry keep an eye on you to put the minds of these worried people at rest. And so I forged some papers and got myself in this castle. I arrived a few hours ago, and was greeted by your Headmaster, then told him I'd go and meet with you to discuss the new circumstances. Of course I went straight for your _friend_  here instead. He was quite hard to find, I have to say. He wasn't in his chambers, but instead I found him here, seemingly on his way to your hut.

And now we're here, in a storage room of an empty corridor at night. No one to hear us. If I silence the both of you, I can happily torture your red haired friend here before your eyes. And then kill him of course. After that it's your turn, don't worry.'

_'Incendio.'_

Then everything happened really fast. The fire spell that Gellert sent Albus' way spluttered before it could reach the professor, then backfired and exploded close to where their captor was standing, whom then was sent flying backwards into a wall. The man crumbles in on himself, now unconscious.  
Gellert fully points his wand at Albus and casts the counter curse for the incarcerous spell again. The wands refuses once more, and Gellert opts for his next move. _'Expecto patronum!'_  
A majestic silver phoenix materialises, taking flight. The German wizard quickly drops down next to Albus holding him close as he waits for his patronus to reach his destination. A minute later Headmaster Dippet arrives at the scene, relieving Albus of the ropes the second he arrives. With the Headmaster come two Hogwarts teachers, one of them going to check on Albus and Gellert, the other one helping the Headmaster with the evil man. Then the latter teacher goes to inform the ministry of the situation.

-

The ministry arrives with five people, of which two aurors. Gellert can't say he's happy to see them, and his unease increases when one of the ministry men comes up to him to question him. He and Albus are led to a classroom for some privacy and to get away from the scene of crime where the aurors are doing their job. Albus is still not saying anything, although Gellert isn't sure whether he's still affected by the silencio charm or just keeping silent. They sit down opposite of the ministry worker, and on his request Gellert starts recounting the last events with as much detail as he can remember. After he finishes the man frowns.  
'Why did you cast the fire charm at Mr. Dumbledore?'  
Gellert shuffles in his seat, his hands starting to get clammy. 'I'm afraid I can not say.'  
The frown of the man deepens. 'Mr. Grindelwald, you do realise that if you fail to provide a good reason for your actions, we will have to send you back to prison. You tried to harm another person, which as per the rules of your parole, if not in general, is strictly forbidden.  
At this Albus finally speaks up. 'No. Wait. I can provide his reason.'  
Gellert looks at him, wide eyed. 'Albus, no. We can't tell him.'  
Albus, however, ignores his plea. 'It is because of a bloodpact.' The ministry man opens his mouth to interject, but Albus continues.'The bloodpact Gellert, I mean Grindelwald, and I made, makes sure he can't harm me, and vice versa. We both know an explosion similar to the one today would happen if we try to harm each other. We know because it happened in the past, when we were young.'  
The ministry man shuts his mouth, now speechless, as Albus concludes his reasoning. 'By "setting fire to me" he caused a magical reaction that still couldn't hurt me, as it was caused by Gellert and thus the bloodpact still forbids it, meaning it would hurt our captor instead.  
'Or himself.' deadpans the Ministry man.  
Albus is silent for a second then whirls around to face Gellert. 'Why would you do that?!'  
'I had to take the risk. It was a fifty fifty chance, so I took it. It was the only thing I could come up with, and I couldn't just let him torture you!'  
The ministry man looks between the two powerful wizards and decided it's his cue. He coughs to get their attention. ' We'll discuss this with out legal team. Until then, both of you should get some rest.' He leaves the room, and Albus and Gellert stand up to do the same, opting for Albus' chambers first.

On their way up the stairs Albus turns to confront Gellert. 'The guy, he said to me before you arrived that you waited a long time to be reunited with me. As well as the whole... 15 year in prison thing. Are those things true?'  
'Ah. Well.' The blonde looks away, a slight blush forming on his cheek.  
"Gell." Albus says, his hands holding Gellert's in a death-grip. "Oh Gellert." He's not able to say much more, and so Gellert gently guides him through the halls until they're sitting on Albus' couch, a red blanket draped over the auburn haired man's knees.

-

The next day the ministry is back, knocking on the door of Albus' chambers. Albus lets the woman in, still groggy from sleep. Gellert is on the couch with a pillow over his head to block out the morning light that streams through the windows. The woman scrapes her throat. 'Gellert Grindelwald?'  
The blonde groans, pulling this pillow from his face, then looking at the woman. 'Yes?'  
'I was looking for you and sent here on advice of Headmaster Dippet. I came to inform you and professor Dumbledore, of the fact that Mr. Frederich, your captor of last night, is now securely in prison.'  
Both men nod their acknowledgement. Then the woman turns to face Gellert alone. 'The ministry has had a meeting on your role during last night's events. They have concluded you did right, and you will therefore be rewarded. If you would be so kind to wait a moment, for me to return.'

A few minutes later she re-enters the room, tailed by three other people in ministry robes. One pulls out a set of armbands, similar to the one around Gellert's wrist. The woman faces the German again. These armbands are designed to identify the spells that are cast by the person wearing them. These records are then sent to the ministry for observation. The ministry hereby offers these armbands in exchange for the one you are wearing now. You will be able to perform magic without restriction, but if anything uncouth is detected on the records, you will face the consequences. You are, after all, still on parole.'  
Now a man with a stack of papers steps forward. 'Mr. Grindelwald. Do you abide by these term and accept the proposition?'  
Gellert smiles. 'Yes, I accept.'  
He's then beckoned over to sign a multitude of documents, and the armband on his wrist is swapped for the two new ones. When all is done a second woman comes forward, bearing a rectangular box. Upon opening it, Gellert finds his own original wand.

When the crowd of people has left the room, Albus meanders over to his blood-bound friend. 'What would you say to a celebration at Hogsmeade? The Headmaster has given me the day off.'  
Gellert beams at him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a chapter of proper length, eh.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think! x


End file.
